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| Alton Towers Smiler crash: Vicky Balch has leg amputated | Alton Towers Smiler crash: Vicky Balch has leg amputated |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A 20-year-old woman injured in the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash has had her leg amputated, her lawyer says. | |
| Vicky Balch, from Lancashire, had her right leg amputated below the knee following seven rounds of surgery. | Vicky Balch, from Lancashire, had her right leg amputated below the knee following seven rounds of surgery. |
| She was injured when the theme park's Smiler ride crashed into an empty carriage in front of it on 2 June. | She was injured when the theme park's Smiler ride crashed into an empty carriage in front of it on 2 June. |
| Days after the crash, it emerged that Leah Washington, 17, had to have a leg amputated above the knee. Other riders sustained serious leg injuries. | |
| 'Painful fight' | 'Painful fight' |
| Miss Balch's lawyer Paul Paxton said: "Vicky has had a long and incredibly painful fight to retain her leg. Regrettably, her bravery has not been rewarded. | Miss Balch's lawyer Paul Paxton said: "Vicky has had a long and incredibly painful fight to retain her leg. Regrettably, her bravery has not been rewarded. |
| "The step was taken to remove the leg following seven bouts of surgery. Further surgery will be required in the immediate future, which may involve a more acute amputation." | "The step was taken to remove the leg following seven bouts of surgery. Further surgery will be required in the immediate future, which may involve a more acute amputation." |
| Miss Balch, from Leyland, was sitting in the front of the ride alongside Miss Washington, Joe Pugh and Daniel Thorpe, when it hit an empty carriage. | Miss Balch, from Leyland, was sitting in the front of the ride alongside Miss Washington, Joe Pugh and Daniel Thorpe, when it hit an empty carriage. |
| Miss Balch has spoken of her ordeal, saying she thought she was going to die. | Miss Balch has spoken of her ordeal, saying she thought she was going to die. |
| "It felt like slow motion. We banged into the car in front. I felt the bars go into my knees; we moved backwards and the car went into us again," she told the BBC. | |
| "I passed out. I was awoken by Dan shouting my name. Everyone was screaming and I was in excruciating pain. I looked down and I could see blood all over. The bars were in my right knee... | "I passed out. I was awoken by Dan shouting my name. Everyone was screaming and I was in excruciating pain. I looked down and I could see blood all over. The bars were in my right knee... |
| "The only thought that was going through my mind for the hours and hours that we were stuck was that we were going to die. If I was going to survive I would never walk again, that was certain. | "The only thought that was going through my mind for the hours and hours that we were stuck was that we were going to die. If I was going to survive I would never walk again, that was certain. |
| "I thought it was never going to end. I just wanted to die." | "I thought it was never going to end. I just wanted to die." |
| Compensation | Compensation |
| A total of 16 people were injured in the collision. | A total of 16 people were injured in the collision. |
| Eight of the victims have received interim payments to help with their rehabilitation, according to the law firm representing them. | Eight of the victims have received interim payments to help with their rehabilitation, according to the law firm representing them. |
| Merlin Entertainment, which owns Alton Towers, has said it has contacted those injured and all 16 will receive compensation. | Merlin Entertainment, which owns Alton Towers, has said it has contacted those injured and all 16 will receive compensation. |